Date:    Sun, 6 Dec 1998 23:35:11 -0600
From:    lucid <lucid@PANGEA.CA>
Subject: Re: stina

Kagin Lee wrote:

> Anyone heard the new stina nordenstam album?  All covers eh?

It is all covers but very experimental, not like her other stuff. It
took me a couple listens to get used to it, but now I really like it.
She covers "Purple Rain" by Prince and it's barely recognizable.
Definitely worth checking out... G.


Date:    Mon, 7 Dec 1998 14:54:35 +0000
From:    David Thorpe <djt@STATE51.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Stina Nordenstam's <<People are Strange>>

I couldn't tell whether Stina Nordenstam's new album was a serious attempt
at covering twelve songs or not. Any album which covers Rod Stewart's
anthem - and has it as the opening track - must surely have tounge
firmly in cheek. However, having listened to it I'm not so sure (track
listing below). Often the songs are barely recognizable from their
original versions ("I dream of Jeannie" for example) but others at least
keep the same time ("Purple Rain"). Unlike previous SN albums, this one is
decidedly dubbed-up and unjazzy, although her classic heart-stopping voice
is as distant as ever. I was a bit disappointed by her last album
<<Dynamite>>, because it was full of rock when it should have been more
jazz-inspired. But the trashy backing rhythms work well with her voice
here. Expect the UNKLE remix of <<I am sailing>> sometime in January.

There's a terrible review of the album in last week's NME: see
http://www.nme.com/, and I suspect as with the last SN album, it won't be
promoted by East West and mainly ignored by everyone else. Oh well. Here's
the tracklisting for the album:

STINA NORDENSTAM
<<People are Strange>>
East West/Warners 3984-24506-2

1. Sailing
2. I dream of Jeannie
3. Love Hurts
4. Lonesome road
5. Bird on a wire
6. Purple Rain
7. Swallow Strings
8. Like a swallow
9. Reason to Believe
10. I came so far for beauty
11. Come to me
12. People are strange


Date:    Mon, 7 Dec 1998 11:03:59 -0500
From:    Jeff Keibel <redshift2@HOME.COM>
Subject: Stina is strange!

Stina Nordenstam, who was almost signed to 4AD back in the early 90's,
has indeed released a new album!  It's called "People Are Strange" and
features twelve tracks (11 covers, 1 Stina original).   Some of the
artists Stina has chosen to Nordenstam-ize are The Doors, Leonard Cohen,
Rod Stewart, Prince and many more.

It's out via East West/Warner Music, catalogue number EW M122501 (Ger);
3984-24506-2 (UK).  "People Are Strange" has been out as an import since
November 17th.  No idea if it'll hit domestic status in the US or
Canada.  ...but "Dynamite" DID come out in Canada to my amazement.

There is a single out too (out as of October 27th), the title of which
is "People Are Strange", featuring "People Are Strange" (album version),
the Unkle mix, and a mix by Techno Animal.  Unkle is James Lavelle of
Mowax, Thom Yorke of Radiohead, DJ Shadow and many more.  Techno Animal
is Justin Broadrick of Godflesh and Kevin Martin of God.


Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 15:33:20 +0000
From:    djt <djt@STATE51.CO.UK>
Subject: Top pop records of 1998

STINA NORDENSTAM <<People are Strange>> (East West)

  After a fairly disappointing third album, Stina Nordenstam must
  have lost it completely; any record starting with a cover version
  of Rod Stewart's <<I Am Sailing>> and released around Christmas must
  surely cover Slade, Paul McCartney and other such ballads also? I'm
  therefore completely stunned that this record turns out to be
  fantastic in many respects (sailing song excepted). We get moving
  and meaningful cover versions like Purple Rain for example - slow
  and trashy beats fused with a chamber orchestra and the best Ms.
  Nordenstam has sounded yet. It's been produced excellently and
  stripped down to bare essentials, which seems to work best with
  her voice. The cover of Morrison's <<People are Strange>> is
  touching, emotional and personal.